Copenhagen Beer & Music Fest returns to Boston

The best New England beer festival of 2016 is returning to Boston for the second year in a row.

The Copenhagen Beer & Music Festival will be held at City Hall Plaza Sept. 22 and 23.

Last year, the Copenhagen festival was held in the U.S. for the first time, and it featured good live music and, more importantly, one of the most diverse groups of breweries pouring world-class beers.

The festival will feature more than 50 breweries, with a mix of breweries from the U.S. and Europe.

Attending breweries include 3 Floyds Brewing of Indiana, Abnormal Beer Company of California, Beavertown Brewery of England, Brewski of Sweden, Jester King Brewery of Texas, Warpigs of Denmark, Transient Artisan Ales of Michigan and The Veil Brewing Company of Virginia.

Several Massachusetts breweries will also take part in the festival, including Exhibit ‘A’ Brewing of Framingham, Night Shift Brewing Company of Everett, Samuel Adams of Jamaica Plain and Trillium Brewing of Boston and Canton.

There are three sessions: 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday; and 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday.

Unlike last year, where people had to buy beer tokens, all tickets include unlimited samples.

General admission tickets are $65 each, while three-session general admission tickets are $150. VIP tickets are $125 and come with a Mikkeller/Copenhagen Beer Festival gift pack, a larger sampling glass and one hour earlier admission. Three-session VIP tickets are $250 each.

Tickets are available online at copenhagenbeerfest.com.

Suds in Salem

Even more exciting to me is another beer festival that's happening in September – the Notch Oktoberfest.

Notch Brewing of Salem is partnering with Karl’s Sausage Kitchen & European Market to host the festival on Sept. 17, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at its brewery.

There will be liters of beers, including specially brewed lagers, German food (likely sausage) and music from the Mad Bavarian Brass Brand. Part of Notch’s parking lot will be used for the festival, making it a large event.

The Notch Oktoberfest will have a $25 entry fee and will come with a free ceramic liter mug. All the details are not yet finalized, so follow Notch on Facebook to keep up with what exactly will be happening.

The Spirit of Hudson

If you’re looking for something a little closer to home, the Spirit of Hudson Brewfest will be held on Aug. 12 at 99 Park St., Hudson.

Put on by the Hudson and Nashoba Valley Rotary Clubs, the event is a fundraiser, with the rotary clubs donating the proceeds to local groups.

The event is moving this year to a larger location – at the Hudson-Concord Elks Pavilion.

The brewfest will feature more than 20 local restaurants, as well as beer from breweries such as Medusa Brewing Company of Hudson, Battle Road Brew House of Maynard, Barrel House Z of Weymouth, Brewery Ommegang of New York, Stone Brewing Co. of California and Two Roads Brewing Company of Connecticut.

The festival takes place 4 to 7 p.m., and tickets are $35. VIP tickets will get you in an hour early. To buy tickets, visit www.spiritofhudson.com.

Norman Miller is a Daily News staff writer. Email him at nmiller@wickedlocal.com or call 508-626-3823. Check out the Beer Nut blog at http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/section/blogs01?taxid=646&start=2. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @RealBeerNut and on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerBeerNut.